Qualcomm and Apple have something of a heated dispute going on and that stepped up after the company announced it has filed a complaint with the US International Trade Commission for six patents it says Apple violates by using them in its iPhone devices.

The ITC has been asked to conduct an investigation into Apple’s infringing patents and Qualcomm is hoping they’ll issue a Limited Exclusion Order that would bar the iPhone from being imported into the country. Not only that, they’re hoping to bar sales of the iPhone until this patent issue has been resolved. Here’s a snippet from the press release:

Qualcomm is seeking a Cease and Desist Order barring further sales of infringing Apple products that have already been imported and to halt the marketing, advertising, demonstration, warehousing of inventory for distribution and use of those imported products in the United States.

If the investigation turns out to have merit and an injunction is filed to keep Apple from selling the iPhone, this could definitely impact the availability of future iPhones. Qualcomm says the patent rights they’re asserting represent six important technologies the iPhone uses without properly licensing Qualcomm’s patents to do so.

The ITC investigation is expected to commence in August and Qualcomm says it expects the case to be tried next year.